The Ex-Marine

14

Sunset

"What?"

Inubos nito ang sigarilyo bago tinapon at inapakan. Nakarating sila ng San Dionisio. Rexes basically told him to keep driving until she tells him to stop. Ang dalawang oras na pagmamaneho ay dinala sila dito. Ma tao na sa parke, pasado alas tres na rin kasi ng hapon at karamihan ng nandoon ay mga bata.

Uno shook his head.

"Come on, may iniisip ka. What is it?" She pried.

"I just find it funny, you're stressed about these two guys who were fighting over you..."

"They're not fighting over me, Uno." She clarified, then went on. "They were pissing each other off. Lalo na si Leandro, god! What was he thinking..."

"My point is, they both like you." Magaan ang mga mata ngayon ni Uno, pansin ni Rexes. Tinalikuran siya nito para kumuha ng chuckie sa kanyang pickup truck. Damn, he's bought her a box of it! Ang sinabi niya lang naman ay ibili siya ng chuckie, wala siyang sinabing isang box...

Uno tossed her another.

Hell, she didn't care about the guys who went after her, isa lang naman kasi ang gusto niya at doon pa talaga mismo sa lalaking hindi naman siya gusto.

"And Leandro," tumabi ito sa kanya. Lumiit tuloy ang bench at ang kanyang space. Hindi naman nagdidikit ang kanilang balat pero ramdam niya ang init. Napatingin siya kay Uno, his eyes turned into a shade darker. "He acts like he's already put a claim on you. Has he, Estelle? Because it's a damnation then..."

Napatigil siya sa paghinga dahil sa sinabi nito. "Wh--what do you mean?"

"Nothing, Estelle." He chuckled. "You're not his, right?" There was something dangerous about his voice kahit pa man natatakpan ito ng kanyang kalmadong aura. Rexes didn't want to think much about what he's saying because she didn't want to assume.

"No! Hindi... hindi ganoon ang pagtingin ko para kay Leandro."

"Good." His lips tugged into a smirk, tumayo ito at nanigarilyong muli. Rexes lectured him about smoking and the harmful things it can do while they were driving on the way here pero mukhang wala man lang itong naintindihan sa sinabi niya.

"Are you still pissed about what happened?"

"A little. Naiinis akong masyado kay Leandro. He really knows what to say just to piss off somebody, ganyan talaga siya." She sighed. "At kapag ginantihan yan, siya pa ang galit. Now if Kyle files a lawsuit for Leandro..."

"Kyle would not. Ni hindi siya nagalusan masyado." Tumayo ito, ang kanyang humahaba nang buhok ay sumusunod sa ihip ng hangin. The expression on his face looked so light, Uno was not even scowling like he always does.
Strange.

"May alam akong carnival malapit dito. That's if you're not afraid of heights, Señorita Di Marco?"

Who would have thought that she's ever gonna be in a freaking carnival together with Uno freaking Rivero?

"350 points po sir. Pwede po kayong kumuha ng tasa o stuff toy." Rexes was impressed noong nakitang maraming naipasok na tira ng bola si Uno. Hindi niya alam na magaling pala ito sa basketball. Iyong mga napapadaan nga ay tumitigil para tignan siya habang naglalaro ng arcade game. Kung sabagay, matangkad kasi siya. 350 points, damn, Uno.

He turned to Rexes, "what do you want?"

"Hmm. Iyong tasa nalang ho, manong."   Since it would be an awkward thing to carry home a little stuffed toy with them, kapag nakita iyon ng magulang niya ay baka tuksuhin lang siya--- and besides, she can use the mug whenever she studies at night. Mahilig kasi siyang uminom ng chocolate drink.